Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-02-21
CLOSING Days.
The Work of the Senate for the
Remainder of the Session
Well Mapped Out.
The House will Have a Spicy Debate
Over the Retaliatory Fisheries
Bills on Thursday.
New Iron Fields Must be Sought out or We
will be without the Metal in
Thirty Years.
CONGRESSIONAL rRoGNos.IC AT1oN.

WASHINGTON, rep. 2O.-1ne prODeOle
course OF legislation by the Senate for
the coming week, and in fact the remain
der of the session, may best be Judged by
reference to the arrangement agreed upon
by caucus committees of both sides and
ratified by the two cauCuses Of last week.
This arrangement is subject 20 change by
agreement between Senators Harris and
Sherman, chairmen respectively of the
caucus committees who are authorized to
confer and amend the order of business,
but inasmuch as it has been reached with
deliberstion it is likely to reman substan-
TALLY as it now stands. 1t contemplates
the rigid devotionsof the morning hours
until O'Clock of each day to the con-
sideration of miscellaneous mino. mat
tiers upon the calendar which are not
otherwise provided for, and which do not
promise to give rise to extended debate.
In carrying out this part of the pro-
gramme, bills which have passed the
House and been reported favorably by
the Senate committees will have preCa-
Gence. After O'Clock the approprie-
ton bills Will have sway 50 long
as any remain upon the cal
endar So far the arrangement
is liable to interruption only by presenta-
ton of and action upon conference re-
ports which are always in order, and by
pension bills, general and special, which,
though possessing no inherent rights, are
| by agreement of both sides to be accord
ed special privileges when circumstances
permit. The remaining time of the daily
sessions is to ce devoted to selected
measures of general legislation sub
stantially in the following order: The
Nicaragua canal bill, the resolution for
I3nves tigati0n of Pacific railroad
fRccounls, the bill creating
the department of agriculture, the bill
for the relief of depositors in the Freed
mems Bank, the pleurOpne umo ia bill Of
it shall be reported from the committee
on agriculture in time; the arbitration
| 1abor) bill any land grant for the future;
tne bill to prohibit the use of mails to
newspapers publishing lottery advertise
ments; the DesMOines land grant bill;
the bill authorizing suit to be
| brought In certain cases against
the United States; bills to settle
private and claims in certain states
and territories; the bill 20 reimburse Ger
tain states for moneys expended in the
war of 1872; the Dill to establish an in
ternational copyright system and bill to
quiet certain land titles.
The list first prepared by the Republi-
cans is understood to have contained q
bill to authorize the Pacific railroads to
build branches, but it appears to have
been stricken off by the Democrats, while
the Pacific railroad resolution at the sug-
gestion of tie latter was taken from near
the end of the list and placed near the
head. 1t is not deemed probable that the
remaining time of the session will be suf
ticient to complete the entire list.
The river and harbor appropriation bill
will probably be finished tomorrow, and
the Dis riot of Columbia and the Military
Academy bills, both of which are on the
calendar, are expected to follow in their
turn. The agricultural and diplomatic
appropriation bills are before the COM
mittee on appropriations, and are eX-
pected to be reported in time for acton
during the week.
The most important measure to be
acted upon in the house tomorrow, if
the routine is adhered &c, will be the
Springer bill, providing for the
reference of ell private claims to
a court of claims for edjudica-
ton. The committee on war claims
will endeavor to pass this bill under
suspension of the rules. An unlmportant
private land claim and measure of IN
terest only to the District will probably
consume the remainder OF the days
session. The Senate amendments to the
sundry civil appropriation bill will occupy
the House on Tuesday until VI clock.
when eulogies upon the late Senator Pike
will be in order. Wednesday the fisheries
rptaliatory bills will be called up and
lively debate is expected. The Presi-
dents veto of the dependent relatives
pension bill is set for consideration
on Thursday. The remainner of the
week will undoubtedly be devoted to
consideration of appropriation bills and
conference reports. The last six days of
the present Congress begin on Friday and
it will then be in order to move TO pass
any measure by c two-thirds vote under
susp nsiOn of the rules. 1t is probable,
however, that the managers of the House
will COntriye to prevent indiscrminate
legislation under this privilege by filling
in the time Of the House with appropris-
ton bills or other privileged matters.
IRON ORES.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 20.-MsjOr John
". Powell, director of the geological
survey, has furnished the following for
publication: The great increase in the
production OF pig iron from 4,529, 1853
short tons in 1885 to ) 1900, 600 short IONS
during the year 1885 has led 10 much in
quiry as to tie source Of the ores which
made this increase possible, fer 1t is a
well known fact that even the ordinary
production is drain upon the ore depos-
its sufficient to exhaust the present
sources of ac'ual supply in 8 short period,
perhaps in thirty years, more
p obably in much less time.
The government has given sufficient at
tention to the general geology of the
country, however, to afford a good grasp
on the distribution of iron ores, and geo.
logists have also defined the character of
ores so we'll as 70 direct explorers accu-
rateIy to profitable fields. The statement
was made last year by me that within
thirty years the necessary exploration for
new iron ore mines would exceed that OF
Great Britain, where every available de-